Mine car



May 20, 1941- F. H. FRESHWATER MINE CAR Filed Sept. 24, 19 57 2 Sheets-Sheet l aw "ITVWNTOR.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F. H. FRESHWATER MINE CAR- Filed Sept. 24. 1937 May 20; 1941.

INVENTOR. wa m.

ATTOR Patented May 20, 1941 .FFHQE MINE CAR Frank H. Freshwater, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Pressed Steel Car Company, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application September 24, 1937, Serial No. 165,475

7 Claims.

This application is a continuationin-part of my prior co-pending application, Serial No. 748,466, filed Oct. 16, 1934.

This invention pertains in general to mine cars of the type provided with a low central floor with side floors above the central floor and at opposite sides thereof. The invention pertains specifically to cars of this type which are known as end dump cars, that is one end wall of the car is comprised of a gate which is raised when the car is tilted longitudinally to discharge lading through the end oi the car. Mine cars of the type last referred to usually include an end member embodying buffing and coupling means which are disposed substantially in the plane of and extend above the central floor so as to impede the free flow of lading off the central floor when the body is tilted.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an end member which ties together the longitudinal sills and side floors and embodies buffing and coupling means so disposed as to facilitate and not impede discharge of lading off the central floor as the body is tilted.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an end member so disposed in relation to the said central floor as to reduce the angle through which the car is bodily tilted" in order to discharge the lading therein.

These and other objects will be apparent and made clear by the appended description and attached drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of an end dump mine car showing the gate end of the car; Fig. 2 shows in side elevation that portion of the car illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows an end elevation ofthat portion of the car disclosed in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section through the car at the longitudinal center line thereof on lines 4-4 showing in detail the end member and associated buffing and coupling means; Fig. 5 is a section through the car along the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like parts, reference character I indicates an end dump mine car having a low central floor 2, side floors 3 at each side of the central floor and above the plane thereof, side walls 4, an end wall formed of a gate 5 hinged to the side walls and having an end member 6 at the gate end of the car. The opposite end of the car, which has not been illustrated in the drawings, is of usual construction and as such may be a solid end design with an end member embodying bufiing and coupling means, either or both of which may be solid or embody spring means to reduce pulling and pull-- ing shocks. In, order to strengthen the car and to resist buckling induced by bun-mg shocks, the connection between the side and central floor portions is obtained by sills 1- extending longitudinally of the car and connected to the slide and central floor portions and the buffing means. at each end of the car. These longitudinal sills are of angular cross section and may comprise a pressed or rolled member usually in the form of an angle or of Z-section. The longitudinal sills l illustrated in the drawings are of Z-section having the webs vertical and disposed on opposite sides of the central floor section. The: bottom flanges which extend inwardly of the car are secured to the central floor section 2 and the upper flanges extending towards the adjacent sides of the car are connected with the side floor sections 3. Adjacent the gate end of the car these longitudinal sills 'l have their end portions flaredoutwardly toward the side walls of the car andthe side floor sections 3 adjacent the gate are correspondingly reduced in width.

It will be observed that by increasing the spacing between the sills at the gate end of the car the. lading on the central floor section moves, more easily over the end of the car-and eliminates possibilities of large lumps of lading such as coal from clogging and preventing movement of the lading off the central floor section.

The end member 6 disposed between the diverging end portions of the sills 7 comprises a substantially flat plate portion it overlapping the central floor 2 and disposed substantially in the plane thereof. At each side of the bottom plate portion 8 are upwardly extending flange portions 9 secured to the webs of the sill members l. As shown in the drawings, both the portions, 8 and 9 of the end member 5 are preferably connected with the longitudinal sills I, thereby providing an effective tie or connection between the sills and, as the'p-late portion 8 is in substantially the plane of the floor, does not obstruct free movement of the lading off the central floor section 2 of the car. This portion 5 of the end member 5 is. preferably extended beyond the.

ends of the longitudinal sills to provide a continuation of the central floor 2 of the car and terminates in 2. depending flange 8. At the outer edge of this extension and extending on opposite sides of the longitudinal central line ot the car, but of a total width substantially less than the spacing between the adjacent ends at the longitudinal sills l, is an integrally formed bufiing face 10 extending above the plate por tion 8 and terminating in a rearwardly extending top wall II which in turn is connected with the plate portion 8 by side walls l2 to form a box-like structure which serves as the car buffing means. This box-like structure is reinforced by inwardly and downwardly inclined reinforcing portion l3 which extends into the plate portion 8 of the end member.

Extending above the bufiling means and in spaced relation thereto is a drawbar member l4 connected with the buffing means and portion I3 thereof by means of the web l5. The member 14 and the top wall ll of the bufiing means have suitable apertures therein to receive a coupling pin 15. The car may be coupled with an adjacent car by passing a coupling link I! between the portions H and M of the coupling and bufling means on each car and engaging the link I 1 with the coupling pin l6.

Upon reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be observed that this bufling and coupling means has a substantial portion thereof disposed outwardly of the ends of the longitudinal sills 1 and is of such width that adequate space is provided between each side of the bufling means and the adjacent longitudinal sills for passage of the lading off the central floor section 2 as the car is tilted.

The gate 5 forming one end wall of the car comprises a plate I 8 extending above the side floor sections 3 to substantially the height of the body side walls and at its mid portion pro vided with a depending portion l9 extending downwardly below the said sidefloors 3 and between the sills 1 to adjacent the central floor 2. This depending portion I 9 has a suitable aperture 29 therein to permit passage of the reinforcing portion I3 of the buffing means. The plate l8 of the gate 5 has suitably formed arms 2| attached at each side thereof and extending inwardly of the car to overlie the side walls 4 of the car and have apertures therein adjacent the inner ends of the arms to receive a pin 22 for attaching the arms 2| to the body side walls 4. The plate l8 of the gate 6 is preferably reinforced transversely of the car by means of the angle 23 secured to the upper edge of the plate and extending from side wall to side wall of the car. Disposed vertically of plate l8 and preferably at the longitudinal center of the car is a latch bar 24 secured to the plate l8 and having an outwardly disposed upper end portion 25 forming a hook by means of which the gate is raised when the car is tilted.

As the side walls 4 at the gate end of the car receive little or no support from the gate, particularly when the latter is in raised position, I prefer to reinforce these side walls by means of the body band 26 which is secured to both side walls and extends beneath the side and central floor sections and end member 6 with suitable fastening means connecting the body band to these saidportions of the car.

The car running gear has not been described in detail nor shown in detail in the drawings and it will suffice to say that any of the usual constructions for this type of car may be used. In order to maintain an unobstructed central floor section I prefer to use wheeled stub axles disposed beneath the side floor sections 3 with suitable openings in said floor sections 3 to receive the tops of the wheels which openings are closed by suitable hoods 21 having one side thereof sloped longitudinally of the car to facilitate discharge of the lading off the side floor sections when the body is tilted.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious I have provided an end dump mine car in which when the gate is raised and the body is tilted, there is little or no obstruction to the passage of the lading off the central floor section 2 and the end member 6 provides an eflicient and strong connection between the longitudinal sills Without obstructing passage of the lading from the central floor 2 of the car. It will likewise be obvious that with the construction described the lading within the car, by reason of the diverging end sills, will quickly move off the central floor section as the body is tilted and that, by reason of the absence of obstructions to the flow of lading from the central floor section 2 of the car, the lading may be discharged from the car without tilting the body to as great an angle to the track as would be necessary where the space between the sills at the gate end of the car is closed by the buffing means and an inclined plate or other means used to raise the lading above the level of the central floor section 2 and over the obstruction.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications may be made in the details of construction of the longitudinal sills and end member and I do not wish to limit myself to any such details except as made necessary by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an end dump mine car in combination, spaced Z-bar sills having vertical webs and opposing bottom flanges, said sills adjacent one end of the car diverging toward the sides of the car, a central floor supported by the bottom flanges of said sills and terminating inwardly of the ends of the diverging portions of the sills, side floor sections secured to the upper flanges of said sills and extending outwardly therefrom, an integral cast member disposed between said diverging portions of the sills and provided with a bottom plate portion secured to said central floor to form an extension thereof beyond said sills, vertical flanges at each side of said bottom plate portion and secured to the webs of said diverging sills, buffing and draft means formed on said extension and disposed outwardly of the ends of said sills, a gate forming the end wall of the car above said diverging sills and having portions extending between the sills to adjacent the said central floor of the car.

2. In an end dump mine car in combination, longitudinal sills having divergent end portions adjacent one end of the car, a central floor between said sills, side floors above the plane of said central floor and extending outwardly from each of said sills, said sills connecting the floor portions, an end member disposed between said diverging portions of the said sills and comprising a bottom disposed substantially in the plane of said central floor to form a continuation thereof beyond said sills, side walls extending upwardly at each side of said bottom and secured to said diverging portions of the sills, and a bufling and coupling member disposed centrally of said bottom and extending beyond said sills, side walls extending above the side floor sections, and an end gate mounted on said side walls and closing the end of the car at said diverging sills, said gate having a portion extending between said ing a bottom wall secured to said central floor and diverging sills and extending beyond said sills outwardly of said gate, a bufiing and coupling portion extending inwardly from the outer end of said bottom wall and disposed adjacent the longitudinal center of the car to provide unobstructed spaces between said buffing portion and the sills for passage of lading from the central floor when the car is tilted.

4. In an end dump car provided with a depressed central fioor and an end gate, the combination of sills defining the side edges of the central floor, portions of each sill being flared outwardly from the main body of the sill adjacent said gate, a cast end structure for said gate end of the car comprising a bottom plate disposed in the plane of the central floor at said outwardly flared portions of the sills, flanges at the sides of the said plate extending above the plane of said floor and secured to the web of said flared portions of the sill, said plate having a portion forming an extension of said floor beyond the sills, a buffer mounted on said extension adjacent the outer end thereof having a front face of materially less length than the space between the ends of said sill and rearwardly directed side faces, a draw bar forming a continuation of the said side faces extending inwardly of the car and having a top Wall merging with said bottom plate at its inner end, the outer end of said top wall extending above the buffer and having an opening therein for reception of a coupling pm.

5. An article of manufacture, an integral combination buffer and longitudinal sill connection member for a mine car comprising, a substantially flat bottom plate having spaced end edges and side edges, a portion of which side edges diverge from one of said end edges, upwardly directed flanges on said diverging side edge portions for attachment to the longitudinal sills, an upwardly directed bufilng face at the other of said end edges and disposed intermediate the side edges, and reinforcing flanges for said bufling face extending rearwardly therefrom and merging with said bottom plate between said diverging side edges to form a closed box structure spaced from each said side edge.

6. In an end'dump mine car in combination, spaced longitudinal sills, said sills being in divergentrelationship to each other for a portion of the length thereof adjacent one end of the car, a central floor between the sills adjacent the lower edges thereof, a side floor extending outwardly from each said sill and spaced above the plane of the central floor, an end member between said divergent portions of the sills and provided with a bottom portion forming an extension of the central floor beyond the ends of said sills, upwardly extending side portions secured to said sills, and a central portion extending above said bottom portion adjacent the outer edge thereof to form buffing and draft means for the car and so disposed in relation to said sills as to provide space on each side of the buifing means for movement of lading off the central floor section when the car is tilted for end dumping.

'7. In a mine car in combination, spaced longitudinal sills, a central floor connecting said sills, side floor disposed above said central floor and extending outwardly from said sills to form a low central floor car, side and end walls, one of said end walls comprising a, gate hinged to the side walls and extending downwardly to said side floors and between said sills to adjacent said central floor, an end member connecting said sills at the gate end of the car to form an extension of said central floor beyond the gate, a depending flange defining the outer edge of said memher, a buffing face forming an upward extension of said flange on each side of the longitudinal center line of the car and of substantially less width than the spacing between said sills to form unobstructed openings between each side of said bufling face and the adjacent sill for passage of lading 01f the central floor when the car is tilted for dumping.

FRANK H. FRESHWATER. 

